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Great Ghostly Giveaway

By on July 12, 2012   /   Giveaways  

Author Joanne Levy offers a terrific mix of chills and comedy in her fast-paced MG novel, Small Medium at Large, just off the press from Bloomsbury and  garnering delighted reviews.

From Indiebound: After she’s hit by lightning at a wedding, twelve-year-old Lilah Bloom develops a new talent: she can hear dead people. Among them, there’s her overopinionated Bubby Dora; a prissy fashion designer; and an approval-seeking clown who livens up a séance. With Bubby Dora leading the way, these and other sweetly imperfect ghosts haunt Lilah through seventh grade, and help her face her one big fear: talking to—and possibly going to the seventh-grade dance with—her crush, Andrew Finkel.

Levy will send one lucky reader a signed copy, and four others will win signed bookmarks as well as adorable silicone bracelets.  To be eligible, just leave a comment below.

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The Impact of Books We Love

By on July 11, 2012   /   For Parents  

I’ve always been interested in psychology, and definitely always had an interest in books. So when the two combine into one lovable study of how great characters impact our behavior, well, the researchers had me at hello.

The researchers were from Tiltfactor Laboratories at Dartmouth College. Two of the researchers, Geoff Kaufman and Lisa Libby, wanted to gain a better understanding of this very question. What they found in a recent study surprised them.

It’s called “experience taking,” a phenomenon where a reader identifies closely with a character and thus take on the same emotions, beliefs, thoughts, and even actions of that character.

“Experience taking can be a powerful way to change our behavior and thoughts in meaningful and beneficial ways,” said Libby.

For example, in one experiment, researchers found that readers who identified with a character who overcame great obstacles in order to vote were more likely to vote in a real election only days later. Other experiments produced similar results, proving that a great character will do more than entertain us, or even influence our opinions. A great character can change our behavior.

So for anyone interested in middle grade books, why does this matter? Because scientists also say that the ages when children are most impressionable are in the middle reader years. If an adult whose behaviors are relatively formed can be impacted, then what about a third, fourth, or fifth grader, who is still deciding who he or she will become?

If the study holds up, then a reader who identifies with Meg from A Wrinkle in Time may become more protective of others. The reader who enjoys Turtle from The Westing Gamemay become more curious. And if readers strongly identify with Harry Potter, then they may be more likely to act bravely, defend others, and behave compassionately.

But Kaufman and Libby warn the influence can go both ways. While Harry Potter is heroic, he is certainly also a rule breaker. A reader may not imitate the behavior and also break important rules, but, according to Kaufman, he “may try to understand or justify the actions [the character] is committing.”

This isn’t to say that children should only be exposed to characters who never make mistakes, never have flaws, and never fail. In fact, a character who has to overcome his weaknesses or fix her errors might help the reader anticipate the consequences of their own actions. Children may avoid certain pitfalls if they can vicariously learn from the mistakes of their favorite characters.

But this study does suggest that parents of middle school readers should know what their children are reading, because it can have an impact on who they become. And authors of middle grade books should remember that their characters might do more than entertain for an afternoon. They can change lives.

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Taking a Stand for Freedom

By on July 4, 2012   /   Book Lists  
Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776

As we cherish our freedom
we believe in freedom for others.
~ President Dwight D. Eisenhower

Every year, I try to step back and reflect on the promise of freedom that this nation celebrates today.   Throughout my long teaching career, this “mission question” has guided me:  How can we as educators help children and youth live with courage and hope in an imperfect world?  Learning to advocate for yourself and others is, for me, central to successfully navigating this imperfect world.  Today reminds me of the importance of speaking out for freedom.

Sometimes it feels like we’re not making much progress.  But then I always seem to come across a book that throws out a lifeline of hope, introducing young readers to people — both real and imagined — who take great risks, go to extraordinary lengths, and overcome tremendous obstacles to stand up for themselves and others.

In honor of this national birthday, I’ve selected six books that explore different ways that people of courage have worked for freedom.  Rather than more traditional links with Independence Day, these stories introduce people who have taken stands for freedom in a variety of ways and across times and places both near and far.

  Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom by Tim Tingle; ill. by Jeanne Rorex Bridges.  Coming out of the Choctaw oral tradition, this story shows how small, personal acts of courage can result in powerful opportunities for freedom.  In the 1800’s, the Choctaw people lived as a sovereign nation across Mississippi’s Bok Chitto River from the lands of plantation owners and their enslaved workers.  The river formed a formidable border between bondage and freedom.  Any slave who crossed it would remain free by law, but the river was a dangerous obstacle.  The Choctaw had bridged the Bok Chitto with a series of stepping stones hidden just below the water’s surface and unknown to others.  When a young girl crosses the river from the Choctaw side, she sets in motion a series of events that lead to an enduring friendship and a daring escape for a slave family facing devastation.

 As Good As Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel’s Amazing March Toward Freedom by Richard Michelson; ill. by Raul Colón. Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel grew up on different sides of the world, yet both suffered the agonies of bigotry: King, in the segregated South of the US; and Heschel, in Europe during the Holocaust.  Each willingly shouldered the responsibility to promote peace, freedom, and social justice despite the challenges and dangers they faced.  Their journeys intersected in Selma, Alabama on March 21, 1965 when Heschel answered King’s call for people to support the Civil Rights movement.  This book brings to life a lesser-known story of allies such as Rabbi Heschel who joined the fight for voting rights for African Americans.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull; ill. by Yuyi Morales. In the same year that Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel marched for voting rights, many others worked for social justice in all corners of this country.  This biography of Cesar Chavez focuses on the struggle of farmworkers in California to earn better pay, conditions, and respect for their hard work.  Central to Chavez’s legacy as a fighter for social and economic freedom is his determination to accomplish goals nonviolently, even though he and his colleagues were targets of violence.

Aung San Suu Kyi: Fearless Voice for Burma by Whitney Stewart.  The subtitle of this biography of a remarkable woman says it all — the power of speaking out for what is right in spite of the great cost.  Aung San Suu Kyi joined Burma’s democracy movement with no idea that she would become a leader of her people, spend many years under house arrest, win a Nobel Peace Prize and wait for 21 years to receive it — all because she raised her voice for justice.  We are currently living the epilogue, as last month Suu Kyi was finally able to go to Norway to accept the Peace Prize.  She continues to work for her country as a member of Parliament and tireless advocate for freedom.

Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story by Ken Mochizuki; ill. by Dom Lee.  There are many familiar stories of people who took great risks to help others during the Holocaust.  Among the most moving to me is that of Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara, who defied the Nazis and even his own government to hand-write visas allowing thousands of Jews to escape Lithuania and make their way to freedom. The story is told through the eyes of Sugihara’s young son, Hiroki.  In the afterword, the real Hiroki Sugihara gives us a glimpse into both the enormity of the impact this man had on those he saved and the immense cost he and his family paid for reaching out to strangers with such great courage.

Dear Benjamin Banneker by Andrea Davis Pinkney; ill. by Brian Pinkney. Finally, let’s circle back to our consideration of the true meaning of Independence Day.  Benjamin Banneker stands out as an early advocate for freedom and equality, yet many young readers have never heard his name.  He was a tobacco farmer in the late 1700’s whose mind was filled with questions about the workings of the natural world and the skies above his head.  He taught himself astronomy to explore answers to his questions, and he wrote an almanac based on his calculations of the cycles of the moon and sun — all remarkable accomplishments.  But as a black man, Banneker faced many obstacles in his efforts to get the almanac published.  He knew that other black people who were not free like he was wouldn’t be able to benefit from his work. He was moved to write a letter to Thomas Jefferson, drafter of the Declaration of Independence and at the time of the letter, Secretary of State.  In the letter, Banneker critiqued Jefferson’s call for freedom for the American colonies while also owning slaves who were not — and would never be — free.  Although it took nearly another century for slavery to end, Banneker established himself as an articulate voice for justice.

I hope you celebrate this important holiday by reading one of these books — and please share other titles in the comments below.  Happy Independence Day!

Katherine Schlick Noe teaches beginning and experienced teachers at Seattle University. Her debut novel, Something to Hold, was published by Clarion Books in December, 2011.  Visit her at http://katherineschlicknoe.com.

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